Apparatus for converting heat and pressure energies into mechanical energy



` Aoct'. 7,1941.

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/ APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HEAT AND PRESSURE ENERGIES INTO MECHANICAL ENERGY Filed Jan; 27, 1938 sheets-sheet 2 y l/A/VE/V 727/?. EDWARD 7. TURNER'.

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 APPARATUS FOR CONVER'EING HEAT PRESSURE ENERGIES f ENERGY INTO .MECEANIGL Edward T'. Turner, Dayton, Ohio Application January 27, 1938,' SerialvfNoQlSflQ252 6 Claims. (Cl.

w to. reduce the pressure on the Water s0 @sie cause lThis.indient-ion relates to an apparatus for converting heat andpressure energies into mechant cal energy.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and e'cient apparatus for vconverting the heat and apressure energies of a highly heated liquid into mechanical energy. f.

.A..f.urther object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for utilizing products of vcombusf tion;..tal en either directly from theiurnace or from the flues of a boiler, to impart a high tem-Y perature and highpressure to. a liquidv and then converting the heat and pressure energies of said liquid into ,mechanical energy.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a 'simple efficient apparatus for producing power in which more heat may be extracted from the products Aof combustionthan is possible with the usual boiler plant.

A further object o f theinvention is to provide an apparatus for utilizing flue gases from a boiler toheat water to a temperature and pressure in excess of the temperature and pressure `of the Water in said boiler and then converting theA heat and'pressure energies ofthe water so heated intomechanical energy. A further object of heatedunder pressurevto its temperature of v aporization,then .converted into mechanical energxeie-iorrer pressure and vtheirrestored to its.

initialftemperature and pressure. A l

Otherobjects -of' the invention may appear as the apparatus described in detail In the accompanying drawings ratus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar View of a portion of a modified form of the appa-y partly in section, ofv

ratusFig. 3 is an elevation, a form ofthe apparatus which embodies a two section of a portion of the conduit connecting the two units of vthe power apparatus; and Fig. 5 is al transverse section taken on the line 5.-5 of Fig. 4.A

In Fig. l I have shown, forthe purpose of illustration. an apparatus which utilizes the `flue gases from a boiler, which would otherwise be ihe-.iifwenuonis to p'rovide any improved power cycle in whicha liquid is Fig. iis a die! gramrnaticl view, partly in section, of an appa-` sfage power apparatus; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal Theseflue gases arepassed from the nozzle.. "from .the nozzle .is

a portion of .thewater to he converted .into steam and .expanded to impart velocity energy to. rthe mixture of steam ,and water which is discharged The mixture .so discharged .then utilized. .to operaie e power elementl In. .the par-tisular arrangement, show-h in .the drawingsthe waterin the looileri is heated by .o furnace. 2.v in the ,usuelmenher i0. generate steam at a predetermined temperature and pressure, this steam being delivered to a steam vchest 3 from whichit I nay be taken through aconduit 4 to operate a 4power element or touperforrr other;

useful work. The flue gases, or products of comhustion. .erecelivered .from-.the boiler through e discharge. Y.passageway 5 to a heat exchanger which is preferably of the counterflow type 'and is .here shown es. comprising er1 .elerfieeie Gesine or shell 6 connected at one end with the passage- Way 5 .and Yhaving at its other end an outletl through which the gasesmay be discharged to thestacl or other suitable point ofvdischarge, .the casing thus constituting a conduitwfor the ue eases Arreneedwiihn the eohduii 6 is e Weier i conduit; @having ai .eheend thereofeh .inlet pipe.

Sfwhioh ,proieets .beyond that eed foff the eooduii. 6 opposite ...the .-.iolei passageway ..5 .to Provide means Afor connectingl .the .water `conduit withv a.

suitable-source of vrwater supply, .not here shown.

" Theofher end of the water conduit 8, that is the pansion nozzle Weber. will: be f.

en djadjacent the inlet for flue gasesis connected witha conduit l0 which `leads toa casing il in which is 'mounteda power element, such as a Belton wheel |72. The conduit Hl includes an eX I3 which discharges direeuyirit the-casing Il. P re*f eijalolyA a 119W'equalizeif'lid is eonheoted With-fthe Conduit, ,l 0 ,.dieeerit. `the. diseherse. .end ofthe aweier eolduit 'ofthe heet exchanger. .io provide e. substantially?uniform fiowfoi. weterihroueh ,the Conduit Hi end nozz1e 3f -flhe VWeiter .conduits may befeormeetedrvrith the. conduitwlll atany suitable point but if oon-A nected with that yconduitbetween theflowequalirerpi and. ihehorrlerlfuweier entering Athe iiow equalizer more rapidly than .it .is .discharged through .the nozzleV .to @the power element .willY here .etendehoy-.to Compress .the steam in the equalizer which Willierrd. to increase thepressure .eboveihe .pressure of .veporizetiorrrfor the temperature eerried I V.therefore prefer. to con-i neeiihe eorliiliitwiih the. 'steam spese inv the equaliser forum and. 'io Providethe Vconduire within', the esilelirerrithe.spray heed 'liaise that. the.; isohereed into the .steam in the of the water to be reached without wasteful-v pumping energy.

The flue gases are dischargedsfrom the boilerto f the heat exchanger at a temperature in excess of the temperature of the water Within the boiler and the arrangement of the two conduits of the heat exchanger is such that the water during its travel through the heat exchanger Will be heated to a temperature and pressure substantially greater than the temperature and pressure of the water in the boiler. As this water at high temperature and `high pressure passes through the expansion nozzle I 3 the pressure on the water is reduced and a portion of the water is converted, or flashed, into steam, which is expanded in the nozzle and mixed' with the water therein to convert heat and pressure energies into velocity energy, and this velocity energy is imparted to the mixture of the water andsteam which is discharged from the nozzle, the eiiluent mixture acting Vdirectly upon the power element to actuate the latter.

It is preferable Vthat means be provided for con- Y trolling the amount of water delivered to the expansion nozzle, and thus governing both the volume and velocity of the eiiiuent mixture. However, the controlling means should be of a character that will not cause or permit of the'vaporization of any part of the water before the latter enters the nozzle. Such a controlling means may conveniently comprise a valve member I6, of the needle type,- arranged to cooperate with the restricted portion of the passageway through the nozzle.Y As there shown, the nozzle has at its'inlet end a, chamber II with which the conduit I0 is connected'. The valve is mounted for movement in line with the nozzle passageway, preferably by a screw threaded connection between the same and the end wall of the chamber I1. The adjustment of 4the valve will vary the capacity of the inlet to the nozzle and thus control the delivery of water thereto but the chamber Il and conduit III-will at all times be full of water under pressure and this head of water will prevent the vaporization of any part of the water before it enters the nozzle.

After the mixture of steam and water has acted on the power element it may be disposed of4 in any suitable manner. It is preferable, however, that-this iiuid should be returned to the heat exchanger- `or other source of heat, in the interest of economical operation. The steam may be condensed and the condensed steam and the water, or either of them, may be returned to the heat exchanger and again utilized. The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to condense the steam and again utilize lboth the condensed steam and the water and is of such a character that the water will be separated from the steam within the casing II and withdrawn from the lower portion of the casing, as by means of a pump I8 which delivers the'same to a tank or other receptacle I9. The lsteam is withdrawn from the casing II through an outlet conduit 20, preferably connected with the upper portion of the casing, and is delivered to a condenser 2l. The condensate is withdrawn from the condenser, as by means of a pump 22, and is also delivered to the receptacle I9. The liquid in the receptacle I9, including both the Withdrawn Water and the condensate, are then delivered by means of a pump 23 and a conduit 24 to the heat exchanger, the conduit 24 being here shown as connected with the supply pipe 9 leading to the water conduit of the heat exchanger. In this man- .ner a complete cycle of operations is provided and the same water may be used over and over again with the addition of only so much new water as is `necessary to supply losses. By delivering the water andA condensate to an open tank before returning the same to the heater any air contained therein is removed, and the rate of return to the heat exchanger may be modified to correspond to the water requirements at the power element. 'I'he water usually contains some solids and to prevent these solids from accumulating in an objectionable quantity it is desirable to discharge a portion of the water to waste during each cycle of operation. For this purpose the conduit leading'from the pump I8 to the tank I9 may be provided with a restricted outlet, I9a, in the nature of a blowdown.

The method has been described in connection with an apparatus designed to use flue gases from a boiler plant in the heat exchanger, but this' is not necessary to the operation ofthe method and it Will be obvious that the heat exchanger may take the products of combustion directly from a furnace, or other place of fuel consumption, without otherwise 'affecting the method and apparatus. When the heat exchanger takes the products of combustion directly from the burning fuel it will ordinarily be used as a substitute for a steam boiler and steam power generating equipment rather than as a supplement for the same. Such a high pressure high temperature plant may be constructed at a much lower cost than steam plants of much lower pressures and temperatures, and high temperatures and pressures are of course conducive to high efficiencies. The space occupied by such a plant would be small compared to the space occupied by steam plants and itis possible to provide the same of such` compact construction as to adapt-it for`use on locomotives.- The design ofthe countercurrerit heat exchanger is such that its eiciency'ma'y substantially exceed the eiiciency of steam boilers and its eihciency may be as high as that of a steam boiler and an economizer combined, al-v though the cost of a heat exchangerwould be far less than that of-a steam boiler without the economizer.- Consequently the substitution of a high pressure high temperature apparatus embodying my invention would greatly reduce the fuel consumption with a corresponding saving in the cost of operation. It is recognized that for a given pressure the proposed cycle efficiency is not as high as the steam cycle. However, the highly elcient heat exchanger, with the high pressures and high temperatures that may b'e usedwith the apparatus, plus the high efficiency of thefPelton type of wheel, as Acompared to steam turbines, re-` sult in a much higher overall efficiency than can be attained in the lower pressure steam plants.

Further, the supply of tures and high pressure may be taken from a suitable source of supply without theuse of'a heat exchanger, l For example, many boilers are provided Vwith a device, commonly known as a continuous blowdown, for removing sediment orwater at high tempera? aessgic'r.

solids' from' the boiler, and when such a continuous blowdown 'is used, .as vshown' at 25 inl Fig. 2, a continuous'stream of water at high-tem,-

enable'the eiiluent mixture to operate a power' element having a substantial power capacity. The power element is here shown as a Pelton wheel lZa mounted in a casing'll'a, into which a nozzle |3a discharges. In this apparatua'aswell asin the apparatus of Fig. 1, the pressure of the fluid in-'the expansion'nozzle will bereduced be low atmospheric pressure. aratedfrom thewater in the casing I la and discharged to a condenser 2Ia, from which it is withdrawn by a Apump 22a and the discharge side of this pump may, if desired, be connected directly'with th boiler, or withY a feed water line leading to the boiler, so that the" condensate will be again heated and utilized. VrIhe water may-be withdrawn from the casing Ilaby a pump 18a but inasmuch as this water will contain solidsy which it is not desirable to Areturn to the boiler the water, vor yat least a portion thereof, will usually be discharged to waste. In an installation of this character it is desirable tocarry a high vacuum in the condenser. If, for example, a` vacuum of twenty-eight inches is carried in the condenser the down-blowy water which' goes to'waste will have a temperature of approximately 100 and therefore very little heat will be left in the waste water, and the heat which ordinarily goes to waste in such water is effectivelyl utilized.

VIn some installations the efficiency of the apparatus may, utilizing a two Pelton type. For this purpose two power elements lare used and the mixture of steam and'v water, after acting on the rst power element',A

is caused to act on the second power element by passing the same through a second expansion nozzle in which another portion of the water is converted into steam and expanded, along with the steam previously generated, to impart additional velocity energy to the mixture of steam and water which is discharged to the second power element. The mixture of steam and water may, if desired, be taken from the casing of the first power element without separating the same and delivered to the second nozzle in its mixe-d condition, but I prefer to separate the steam and water and then deliver the same to the second nozzle in the manner shown in Fig. 3. As there shown, the first power element is shown as a Pelton wheel 26 mounted in the casing 21 to which the mixture of steam and water is delivered through an expansion nozzle 28. The water is withdrawn from the lower portion of the casing through a conduit 29 and the steam is withdrawn from the upper portion of the casing through a conduit 30, all substantially as shown in Fig. 1. The second power element 3| is sho-wn as a Pelton Wheel similar to the Pelton wheel 26 but provided with blades, or pockets, of a capacity greater than the capacity of the blades of the Pelton wheel 26. The Pelton wheel 3| is mounted in the casing 32 with which communicates an expansion nozzle 33. This nozzle is provided at its inlet end with a chamber 34 with which the steam conduit is connected, the

if desired, be further increased by' stage power unit, preferably the steam prieferably'entering the chamber at righti angles'to y'the passageway through the nozzle.: The'. waterl conduitv 29. isco'nnected withv the chamber :2l z in linef with the vpassageway throughthe inozzlefand as :the water 'is discharged into.

' the chamber 34 it will be mixed with the steam from the conduit 30 and .when this mixture" is passed through the nozzle 33 an additional por' tionwofithe'water will bey converted into steam. This.i steam, Vtogetheriwith the steam froml rthe conduit 30, will expand -in the nozzle to convert heat land pressureenergies into velocity energy and thus yimpart totheeflluent'mixture an increased velocity energy. In order that there mayl be `anv intimatelmixture of .steam and water in the` chamber k'34 I have provided means for discharging the'water into `that chamber with a whirling motion, fthis being" accomplished `in the present instance byinserting in the conduit 20, adjacent'to the chamber34, a plate 35 which 'isVv partially spiral inform.' Asshown this plate -issecured fat'it's lateral edges to the walls of the conduit and "is Y twisted'`through approximately onefourth vof arotation about a'longitudinal axis so that the transverse edgeof the plate at its discharge end will extend at approximately right `Aangles tothe transverse edge of the plate at Vits intake endi 7 The steamgan'd'water may be withdrawnfro'm' the second casingA 32"-and disposed of in any suitable manner -but',l'a`s here shown, the casing has 5a'- water outlet vlat its low-er end andy asteam outleti'in the upper portion thereof, whereby t-lrefsteam` and Vwater are vseparated` and sep' arately withdrawn that-'the steam may be condensed and the vcondensatie and water returned` tothe source of `.heat lin the same manner as shown in Fig. 1. Y

While I vhavefshown and described certain forms of my apparatus for performing the same I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited toV the details thereof as various` modifications may occurto a person skilled in the art.

#Having nowfully 'describedlmy' invention what.

1 I claim as new ariddesire to" secure by Lettersv Patent, is:

1, In an apparatus of the character described, a conduit, means for connecting said conduit with a source of supply of products of combustion, a second conduit arranged in counterflow heat exchange relation to the first mentioned conduit, means for connecting the inlet end of said second conduit with a source of supply of water, a ilow equalizer connected with the discharge end of said second conduit, a casing, a conduit leading from said flow equalizer to said casing and including an expansion nozzle to convert a portion of the water into steam and expand said steam to impart velocity energy to the mixture of water and steam, and a power element arranged in said casing to be actuated by said mixture of water and steam,

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a conduit, means for connecting said conduit with a source of supply of products of combustion, a second conduit arranged in counterflow heat exchange relation to the first mentioned conduit, means for connecting said second conduit at one end with a source of supply of water, a flow equalizer having a steam chamber in the upper portion thereof, means for spraying water from said second conduit into said steam chamber, a casing, means for connecting said flow equalizer with said casing and including an expanson nozzle to convert a portion of the water into steam and expand said steam to impart velocity energy to the mixture of water and steam, and a power element arranged in said casing to be actuated by said mixture of steam and water.

`3. In combination with a source of supply of water at high temperature and high pressure, a casing, a conduit leading from said source of supply to said casing and having at'its discharge end an expansion nozzle to convert a portion of said water into steam and expand said steam to impart Velocity energy to the mixture of steam and water, a power element arranged in said casing to be actuated by said mixture of water and steam, a second casing, means for delivering water and steam from the rst mentioned casing to said second casing, said means including an expansion nozzle to convert an additional portion of said water into steam and expand said steam and the steam from the rst mentioned casing to impart additional velocity energy to the mixture of steam and water which is discharged from said second casing, and a power element arranged in said second casing to be actuated by the last mentioned mixture of water and steam.

4. In combination with a source of supply of water at high temperature and high pressure, a casing, a conduit leading from said source of supply to said casing and having at its discharge end an expansion nozzle to convert a portion of said water into steam and expand said steam to impart velocity energy to the mixture of steam and water, a power element arranged in said casing to be actuated by said mixture of water and steam, a second casing, means for separately withdrawing water and steam from the first mentioned casing and mixing said steam with said water, an expansion nozzle arranged to receive said mixture of water and steam, convert another portion of said water into steam and expand all of said steam to impart velocity energy to said mixture and deliver the same to said second casing, and a power element arranged in said second casing to be actuated by the lastl mentioned mixture of water and steam.

5. In combination 'with a source of supply of water at high temperature and high pressure, .a casing, a conduit leading from said source oi supply to said casing, and having at its discharge end an expansion nozzle to convert a portion of said water into steam and expand said steam to impart velocity energy to the mixture of steam andVwater, a power element arranged in said casing to be actuated by said mixture of water and steam, a second casing, an expansion nozzle communicating with said second casing and having a chamber at its inlet end, a conduit to deliver steam from the first mentioned casing to said chamber, a second conduit to deliver water from the rst mentioned casing to said chamber and having means for discharging said water into said chamber with a whirling m0- tion, whereby the steam and Water in said chamber will be intimately mixed and delivered to the last mentioned nozzle, said last mentioned nozzle being shaped to convert another portion of saidY Water into steam and to expand all the steam therein to impart velocity energy to the mixture of steam and water, and a power element arranged in said second casing to be actuated by the mixture of steam and Water which is discharged from said last mentioned nozzle.

6. In combination with a source of supply of water at high temperature and high pressure, a casing, a conduit leading from said source of supply to said casing and having at its discharge end an expansion nozzle to convert a portion of said water into steam and expand said steam to impart velocity energy to the mixture of steam` and water, an equalizer interposed between said source of water supply and said expansion noz-V zle and arranged at a substantially higher level than said nozzle, the arrangement of said parts being such as to maintain a head of water under substantially constant pressure in said conduit in advance of said nozzle, and a power element arranged in said casing to be actuated by the mixture of steam and water discharged from said nozzle.

EDWARD T. TURNER. 

